From Marc.Safley@usda.gov Fri Aug 20 17:56:03 1999
Date: Fri, 20 Aug 1999 12:49:00 -0400
From: Marc Safley
To: Receipt Notification Requested
Subject: Landscape Structure and Biological Control
There is a research article of interest in the August 6th edition of 'Science'
that should be of interest to those on this list. It is entitled "Landscape
Structure and Biological Control in Agroecosystems" and was written by Carsten
Thies and Teja Tscharntke, Department of Agroecology, University of
Goettingen, Germany. Following is the abstract:
"Biological pest control has primarily relied on local improvements in
populations of natural enemies, but landscape structure may also be important.
This is shown here with experiments at different spatial scales using the
rape pollen beetle (Meligethes aeneus), an important pest on oilseed rape
(Brassica napus). The presence of old field margin strips along rape fields
was asociated with increased mortality of pollen beetles resulting from
parasitism and adjacent, large, old fallow habitats had an even greater
effect. In structurally complex landscapes, parasitism was higher and crop
damage was lower than in simple landscapes with a high percentage of
agricultural use."
Marc Safley
Agricultural Ecologist
NRCS/USDA
marc.safley@usda.gov
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